Apple reverses its no-cash payment policy for iPads (Women from original story gets free iPad)

[onehandle]

Source: ABC



PALO ALTO, CA (KGO) -- Apple stepped up to the plate Wednesday, responding to a 7 On Your Side report about a woman who tried to buy an iPad using her carefully saved up money, only to be told she could not pay with cash. The story caused outcry all across the country and Wednesday Apple not only changed its policy, it provided a happy ending to the story.

Remember Diane Campbell? She saved up her money to buy an iPad only to be turned away. The Apple Store said she could not use cash, only a debit or credit card. She said a clerk told her it was to prevent iPads from reaching the black market.

snip...

As of today, anyone can pay for an iPad with cash as long as they set up their Apple account at the store. Apple accounts are needed for the iPad anyway, so that is not putting anyone out.

snip...

The folks at Apple wanted to thank Campbell for bringing this issue to their attention, so two employees from Apple visited her home Wednesday and brought her a brand new iPad for free.

Read more: http://abclocal.go.com/kgo/story?section=news/7_on_your_side&id=7451437

[proud2BlibKansan]

1. Two words, Diane

Gift Card. Visa Gift Card.

Ok, that's 3 words. But you get the drift.

[koski]

2. That would add to the cost,

they don't give cards out or load them with $700 for free.

[Dr.Phool]

13. Yeah, why pay extra to enrich a bankster?

[proud2BlibKansan]

34. You can buy them at a bank

They work just like a credit card.

[teknomanzer]

3. Read what it says on the Federal Reserve note...

This note is legal tender for all debts, public and private. Apple has no case and no right to deny a cash payer. As for your three words - you are suggesting that people pay a fee for a debit card in lieu of using cash which is just another fee for being poor.

[marybourg]

5. If you're merely trying to buy something, you have no debt. nt.

[teknomanzer]

26. Your view of the interpretation of that text is far too narrow.

Any agreement to a trade generates debt until the trade is reciprocated. You can have X for Y amount of dollars is the agreed trade. Well guess what - those pieces of paper with those dead guys on it represent denominations of dollars. Apple does not get to decide what is legal currency for commerce in the United States. Why do you think they were so quick to make right with the free I-pad?

[proud2BlibKansan]

37. Then how do airlines get away with it?

[marybourg]

50. Nevertheless that's the state of the law. Do you really think this is the first

time someone's refused to accept cash for a prospective purchase?

[No Elephants]

27. You owe money for what you are buying.

[marybourg]

49. If they don't accept your money you haven't bought it & don't owe on it. nt.

[onehandle]

6. The U.S. Treasury says no business has to accept cash ever.

'The pertinent portion of law that applies to your question is the Coinage Act of 1965, specifically Section 31 U.S.C. 5103, entitled "Legal tender," which states: "United States coins and currency (including Federal reserve notes and circulating notes of Federal reserve banks and national banks) are legal tender for all debts, public charges, taxes, and dues."

This statute means that all United States money as identified above are a valid and legal offer of payment for debts when tendered to a creditor. There is, however, no Federal statute mandating that a private business, a person or an organization must accept currency or coins as for payment for goods and/or services. Private businesses are free to develop their own policies on whether or not to accept cash unless there is a State law which says otherwise. For example, a bus line may prohibit payment of fares in pennies or dollar bills. In addition, movie theaters, convenience stores and gas stations may refuse to accept large denomination currency (usually notes above $20) as a matter of policy.'

http://www.ustreas.gov/education/faq/currency/legal-tender.shtml

[Iowa]

20. Thank you for this post. I didn't know that.

[happygoluckytoyou]

25. just try to spend CASH on an american airlines flight... bastards only take credit cards...

[No Elephants]

29. Was their policy the same before 911? Supposedly, the 911 terrorists paid for their

airlie tickets in cash. So, that became a red flag, as did buying a one-way ticket.

[Recursion]

32. I think happy meant *during* the flight (like for a drink or headphones or something)

Most airlines have stopped letting you buy with cash because the flight attendants had a tendency to pocket a lot of the money.

[No Elephants]

28. The examples the Treasury gives are not helpful.

"For example, a bus line may prohibit payment of fares in pennies or dollar bills. In addition, movie theaters, convenience stores and gas stations may refuse to accept large denomination currency (usually notes above $20) as a matter of policy.'"

Pennies and dollar bills both are cash. So are both small and large denominations of bills.

Those examples go only to the form of cash. They do not address the issue of excluding cash entirely as a form of payment.


Here's a thought. Walk out of a store with the item you wish to buy/ The e storeowner will have become your creditor and must accept a cash payment.

As long as you never get arrested for shoplifting, this would be a great solution.

[onenote]

42. really bad example

if you walk out of a store without paying, you're a thief and the owner doesn't have to accept your payment in any form after the fact.

[proud2BlibKansan]

35. No fee

You can get a gift card at any bank. No fee. I also noticed they were being sold at CVS but I don't know if there was a fee.

[cstanleytech]

4. Or......apple changes its stance (which they did) and accept legal US tender

like just about every other business does.
Edit: yeah i know its a radical concept.

[Moonwalk]

11. They Won't Accept Gift Cards Either

--Of course, it might be different with a "Visa" gift card, but I happen to know that a guy who had an Apple gift card couldn't use it to buy the iPad. Store policy clearly states this. It might have to do with the fact that gift cards rarely have names on them. They want a credit card with your name on it.

[Dr.Phool]

18. I guess I'll never have a maxi, er, I mean, iPad.

I've probably got 20 credit cards, but I'm not using it with anybody who demands it in a face to face transaction.

[proud2BlibKansan]

36. You can buy yours online

:)

[proud2BlibKansan]

45. Visa gift cards work just like a regular Visa card

Mine have never been turned down.

[sendero]

44. If it is that easy..

... to circumvent the policy then the policy is meaningless.

Apple is such an arrogant company. Black market iPads, indeed.

[proud2BlibKansan]

46. Using a Visa gift card is not circumventing the policy

It's a Visa card that works just like any other Visa card.

[Moonwalk]

47. Actually, the employee who mentioned black market was inaccurate--

--If you watch the report, what Apple was trying to do was make sure that only two got sold per customer, as the iPad is currently in great demand and supply is limited. Which makes Apple pretty democratic, even socialist. It wanted to make sure a huge amount of iPads couldn't be bought up by a few greedy folk, made "rare" and scalped for a higher price on e-bay like tickets to a concert.

Unfortunately, the policy backfired in this instance, keeping certain folk from getting the iPad and undermining that egalitarian goal. So, now it's changed.

[BlueJazz]

7. "From reaching the black market." Damn!, I didn't know they meant THAT Black ???

I thought they meant the..ah.. Illegal market. ??

[Egnever]

14. OMG!

good catch!

[Thor_MN]

33. In a ad last night, I thought I heard Oprah say "White people care about these 4 babies:

Next commercial break confirmed it was "WHY people care" but for a couple seconds I was thinking she said WHAT?

[Dr.Phool]

8. Fuck Apple. And fuck the banksters.

If they don't want my money, I'll spend it elsewhere.

I get tired of this shit. I went to Best Buy to buy a DVD player.

Them: What's your phone number?
Me: I don't have one.

Them:What's your Zip code?
Me: I don't have one.
Them: You don't have a zip code?
Me: No, I'm homeless, I move around a lot. And besides, it's none of your business.
Them: Well, I have to put something down.
Me: Use your zip code.
Them: OK, what's your name?
Me: I don't have one.
Them: I need this information!
Me: No, all you need is my cash. I'm not giving you anything else.
Them: I can't sell you this without this information.
Me: Then Fuck you, I'll go across the street to Circuit City (It was still there then). Bye.

I bought the DVD player at Circuit City.

[tqla]

12. LOL! I'm with you man.

[Divine Discontent]

9. I keep pressing the blue symbol to play the video of her, but nothing happens!

LOL! I'm just kidding!


anyhow, I am so happy for her. See, complaining DOES work! LOL

and good on Apple for doing that, plus even more free press!

[onehandle]

16. Sorry, I took a screenshot and did not notice the play icon.

The video is at the link.

[tqla]

10. I hate Apple.

Now that I know you need to have an Apple account to use the darn thing I hate them even more.

[Egnever]

15. +1

[onehandle]

17. You don't have to have an account to use it.

But you do need an account to buy apps, music and movies from the iTunes store. Just like an iPhone. Just like a lot of portable devices.

And beyond this, you can't buy anything from any online store without an account.

I only buy apps from the iTunes store. I install music and movies from my own collection.

[Divine Discontent]

19. exactly, you don't need an account, one would be ideal, of course. but it's important to state it's

not necessary, as you can upload your own media, but to put your own apps, I believe you'd have to jailbreak it.

[comtec]

21. actually you do

I bought a ipod touch a while back, and it WOULD NOT FUNCTION until I connected it to a computer and connected to ITUNES!
not just that creepy program, but actually the internet!

I was fortunate that i happened to have my netbook with me (I was traveling internationally at the time) but... fuck-a-god-damned-duck!

mind you i accept the reality that there is no such thing as privacy. oh well.

im also at an age where i need to consider if i can really afford to drop out of the system.

anarchy is great when you're college age... not so much when you are older and responsible.

[Divine Discontent]

23. wow. seriously? thanks for the info. and how sad we can't have our basic rights that you mention at

the end of your post.

best to you!

[proud2BlibKansan]

39. You are claiming having an iTunes account is an invasion of privacy?

Wow.

[onehandle]

40. You don't have to use the account.

That's what we were talking about.

And 'that creepy program' is the interface and backup software. Just like most portable devices, it has to have one.

Good thing you 'happened to have your netbook with you when you were traveling internationally at the time.'

[earcandle]

22. Apple, thanks for stepping up to the plate to be a civil model for how goodwill works on branding.

[JDPriestly]

24. Our money is legal tender. That means you really can't refuse cash.

[No Elephants]

30. The U.S. Treasury website seems to say otherwise, when it comes to purchases of goods or services.

It says "legal tender" is only about debts.

Please see Reply # 6 and the link it provides (but also see Reply # 29).

[proud2BlibKansan]

38. Yet airlines refuse cash and no one's forcing them to give food and drinks for free

:shrug:

[onehandle]

41. Wrong. See #6

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_mesg&forum=102&topic_id=4389541&mesg_id=4389577

[onenote]

43. the fact that coins and currency are "legal tender" doesn't mean anyone has to accept them

All it means is that something that you can't insist on the right to settle a debt by giving someone, for example, a chicken (although a merchant that elected to engage in a barter transaction could choose to accept a chicken, or that even insist on one). It also means that you can't settle a debt with currency and coins of a foreign nation.

[No Elephants]

31. Before this thread, I thought of the U.S. Treasury as many things, but dingbat was not one of them.

And, I always thought hearing "Your money is no good here" meant the owner was about to give me something for free.

Live and learn.

But, I am happy that hearing "Your money is no good here" did mean that Ms. Campbell was going to get a free IPad.

So nice when someone who could use a break gets comped, instead of only folk who can easily afford to pay, like, say, Oscar nominees.

[TEXASYANKEE]

48. Good story.

I like it when a news channel helps to right a wrong. Glad the lady got her iPad.